HES2 Concealed Hinge . Innovation , Reinvented
At Sugatsune , product innovation is never the end of a journey . Every breakthrough is the start of a new one . For us , innovation is the drive to never settle for what you already have . It ’ s a state of mind , the urge to push even further .
30 years have passed since we first launched one of our proudest innovations , the HES concealed hinge . A genuinely revolutionary concept , the original HES3D reimagined the very concept of a concealed hinge , based on a reengineered classic hinge design , and in the process opened the door to previously inaccessible use cases for concealed hinge technology .
The HES range has become one of our best sellers and a flagship product , winning multiple awards along the way . But we haven ’ t sat on our laurels to admire our achievements . The innovations have kept on coming .
Nowadays , there ’ s an HES hinge for practically every architectural application . And with the latest HES2 model , we ’ ve made installation simpler and more accessible than ever .
Pivot Away
The big breakthrough with the original HES design was the removal of the pivot arm that the previous generations of concealed hinges had relied on . The pivot arm meant concealed hinges could be installed directly to the inside panel of a cabinet , without the need for a frame . Overlay and inset door types could be accommodated .
But there was a downside . Concealed hinges worked for cabinets . But what about interior two-way doors ? You couldn ’ t ‘ conceal ’ a hinge in the same way by hiding it inside a cabinet . And often door frames were too narrow for the elongated arms anyway .
By reimagining the classic butt hinge so the central barrel tucks away in recesses within the footprint of the hinge itself , the HES design is compact enough to fit on a typical door frame , but folds away in on itself so it is totally out of sight when the door is closed .
What is more , with the removal of the pivot arm , the HES design is stronger and more robust . As well as being suitable for interior doors , it can handle heavyweight doors up to 125kg . There are now HES hinges available for everything from the smallest cabinets all the way up to the largest interior doors , making it the only concealed hinge range on the market suitable for all architectural applications .
Simplicity on the Surface
For all the aesthetic and functional benefits of the original HES design , it came at a cost . Door hanging is a tricky job at the best of times . With the original HES models , you had to mortise both the door and the frame / cabinet panel .
The big step forward with the HES2 version is surface mounting . You only have to mortise the door , halving the time and effort it takes to install . On the frame , it ’ s just a case of screwing on a plate .
For simplicity and convenience , all HES hinges separate . Once the door is mortised and the door plates are installed , we provide templates for pre-drilling the frame to further support speed and accuracy . The frame plate is clipped into the door plate before being screwed onto the frame . Once mounted , adjustment screws allow for vertical and depth alignment of up to 3mm for a perfect finish .
The surface mounting on the frame also means that the HES2 can also be fitted to slim framed or even frameless doors where there is not enough wood to mortise into . So even more door types can benefit from the flawless aesthetic of a concealed hinge .
The HES2 continues the tradition of pioneering concealed hinge concepts Sugatsune began 30 years ago . Our 3D-adjustable surface-mounted concealed hinges remain the only products of their type available on the market .
Not that the HES2 is alone . At the same time we launched this hinge , we also unveiled the HES1 . Designed for frames as little as 8mm in width , the main selling point of this version is the incredibly snug fit between door and frame / wall . While not technically concealed - the mortising on the frame includes cutting out the front elevation so the mounting plate is visible in profile when the door is closed - the flush finish means it is easy to make the plate all but unnoticeable for a pristine effect .
One thing we can ’ t hide at Sugatsune is our dedication to pushing the boundaries of functional and aesthetic design . 30 years on , the HES range is a dynamic concept that we keep evolving . It already provides simplicity and tasteful convenience to most types of cabinet and architectural doors . Where next ?